Analysis & Opinion

SEOUL, July 22 (Reuters) - Seoul shares ended 0.5 percent
higher on Monday helped by rallies in shipyards such as Hyundai
Heavy Industries Co Ltd as the latest string of new
orders pointed to a long-awaited improvement in the ailing
sector.

But technology and auto heavyweights underperformed. Samsung
Electronics Co Ltd, the biggest share on the main
KOSPI, ended flat.

Kia Motors Corp, the fifth biggest share on the
main KOSPI, dipped 0.7 percent. A big win at the polls by
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in upper house elections gave
the green light for prolonged monetary stimulus, potentially
spurring weakness in the Japanese yen currency.

A weak yen tends to put South Korean exporters at a
disadvantage against their Japanese rivals in overseas markets.